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Grand jury calls on county to prepare for the worst
Friday, May 16, 2008
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The Napa County Grand Jury called on the Napa County Office of Emergency Services this week to better prepare for a Bay Area emergency, guessing that Napa County would likely be a haven for urban disaster refugees.

Recommendations ranged from implementing a Community Emergency Response Team training program in public schools to boosting the number of locals who have met national CERT standards from about 1,200 to 2,000.
The grand jury also recommended allocating a local building for exclusive use as an emergency operations center — a command station for disaster management. Right now the Napa County Board of Supervisors’ meeting room on Third Street in Napa doubles as the county’s emergency response hub. The room has a capacity for less than 100 people.

Napa County residents are no strangers to emergencies such as floods and fires in the valley.
But the grand jury report suggested that following potential large-scale emergencies in heavily populated areas of the Bay Area, Napa County would likely become a “lifeboat” for disaster refugees.

In the report, the grand jury recommended that “specific plans (be) prepared to deal with this eventuality” by making changes to the county’s existing Emergency Operations Plan.
Earthquakes topped the list of the county’s most severe potential emergencies, “followed by floods and dam failure,” the report states.

In preparation for possible large-scale emergencies, the grand jury recommended increased security and law enforcement presence at drills conducted by Napa County Health and Human Services and other agencies.

The report contained county and municipal government proposals to expand the disaster plan to better prepare for possible emergencies. The estimated annual cost for implementing the proposals totaled $3,485,000, while additional one-time project costs were projected at $74.5 million.

Elizabeth Emmett, public information officer for Napa County, said the county will present its response to the Napa County Board of Supervisors in a timeframe consistent with legal requirements.

The report is available online at www.napacourt.com.
5 comment(s)

Sickothis wrote on May 16, 2008 11:15 AM:

" Probably should identify areas in the business parks and/or airport park for a tent city type of scenario. Probably not enough access and room at Expo. Great catch though. "

Cadence wrote on May 16, 2008 1:27 PM:

" Hmmmm...
I am seeing a connection here. Maybe the reason San Francisco money (Pelosi, Newsom, Getty, Rogal, et. al.) is pushing so hard for Napa Pipe's transformation into a town is because they intend to use it when the Big One hits? Just hop on those private choppers and buzz right into a pre-made home away from home?
"

reality1 wrote on May 16, 2008 2:21 PM:

" We should certainly be prepared to deal with the aftermath of the large earthquake that all the experts agree is coming. I was in the middle of the 6.8 quakes in L.A. in 1971 and 1994, and saw firsthand how vulnerable our roads and bridges are. Loma Prieta in 1989 demonstrated that, also. They just break. I was really isolated after the 1994 quake. We should plan for refugees, but those Bay Area victims may actually not be able to get here. Every highway leading to this valley has bridges on it or over it. "

Dwayne wrote on May 16, 2008 4:06 PM:

" Ohhh goodie, here comes another new tax.... "

musikluvr wrote on May 16, 2008 5:43 PM:

" What I don't understand is why the Grand Jury doesn't investigate Napa Valley College's "Cost Overruns" for Measure N. How can the officials in this community sit back and let 75% to 85% of the taxpayer dollars to the tune of $115,000,000 that we will be paying for the next 25 years be lost to "Cost Overruns"? What about the work the college promised in the election. State law requires an investigation by authorities if "waste" is charged. "

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